How is the Engineering method Different?

[student2025fair09211]

How is the engineering method different than the scientific method? Not sure which to pick.

[amyCC]

Great question!

Like the Scientific method, the Engineering Design Process (or "engineering method") is a set of steps that help outline the process engineers follow to come up with a solution to a problem.

These steps include:

• Define the problem.
• Do background research.
• Specify requirements and design criteria.
• Brainstorm.
• Prototype.
• Test.
• Iterate.
• Communicate results.

You can learn more about these steps here: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... cess-steps

This video also helps explain going through the steps with a sample project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuwGvZ-eOrc

If you have questions, let us know.

Amy
Science Buddies

[amyCC]

For more information about how the Engineering Design Process and the Scientific method differ, see this page on comparing the steps of the two methods:

Comparing the Engineering Design Process and the Scientific method
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... fic-method

As the page explains:

Scientists use the scientific method to make testable explanations and predictions about the world. A scientist asks a question and develops an experiment, or set of experiments, to answer that question. Engineers use the engineering design process to create solutions to problems. An engineer identifies a specific need: Who need(s) what because why? And then, he or she creates a solution that meets the need.

This video also helps demonstrate the two different approaches to doing a project:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIV031bnmFA



Amy
Science Buddies